October 27, 2018
By Ryan Porzl
Note that at the time I release these, the full card of certain events have not been released so there may be other fights I would recommend but aren't announced until after I complete this. Also, card subject to change.
Daniel Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis (UFC 230, 11/3/18)- For the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Cormier is unbeaten in seven fights (six wins, one no contest) with his recent win being over Stipe Miocic by KO at UFC 226 on July 7th. Lewis is riding a three fight win streak with his recent win being over Alexander Volkov by KO at UFC 229 on October 6th. In theory, you'd think this is a lame duck fight and may end up like one but given Lewis' recent come from behind win over Volkov, you never know. Cormier could steam roll through Lewis but Lewis has shown he has the power to turn things around and unless Cormier finishes him, he's got five rounds instead of three to do it. Both have a lot to gain and Cormier has a lot to lose. Cormier has already begun plans on retiring in 2019 and would love nothing more than riding off in the sunset as champion after one big payday with Lesnar. If he loses here then he may lose his potential money fight and while he can retire with a win, he may not get the amount of money. Cormier would also love to retire as champion as it would be one of the greatest retirements and with UFC planning to strip him of the light heavyweight title, he doesn't need to lose his other belt. Lewis has the opportunity of a lifetime and has so much to gain. He also doesn't have much to lose since he's not the favorite, he's not fighting for his job, and he along with Cormier are taking this on short notice. A win would do so much for him as he would become champion, only one of two to defeat Cormier, & could take Cormier's money fight from him against Lesnar.
Ronaldo Souza vs. Chris Weidman (UFC 230, 11/3/18)- Souza is replacing Luke Rockhold. Souza is coming off a loss to Kelvin Gastlum by split decision at UFC 224 back on May 12th. Weidman is coming off a win over Kelvin Gastlum by submission at UFC on FOX: Weidman vs. Gastlum on July 22, 2017. With Robert Whittaker having defeated Yoel Romero and an injury to Luke Rockhold, the winner here has a good argument for being next in 2019. It'll also be one of these important fights because this could be the last chance for either one. Souza is 38 with over 30 MMA fights and 15 years in MMA so time is against him. All that adds up and Souza will start to get older and slower. Souza has had so many "so close and so far" moments including the recent loss to Gastlum. A win could finally get him a title shot at long last but a loss could likely end any chance of ever getting a title shot. For Weidman, he's younger but has already had periods of injuries and had just snapped a three fight losing streak. A loss would also be devastating for Weidman as it could be an indictator that his best days are behind him. After breaking a long losing streak, Weidman can't afford to walk away from this fight with an "L" after having just righted the ship in his recent fight.
Frankie Edgar vs. Korean Zombie (UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Korean Zombie, 11/10/18)- Edgar is coming off a win over Cub Swanson by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee on April 21st. Zombie is coming off a win over Dennis Bermudez by KO at UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. Korean Zombie on February 4, 2017. Given who is in this fight, it's recommended based off being that it has potential to be a great fight. Both are looking to get a title shot and a win puts them closer to one. Edgar was on the verge of a title shot before losing to Brian Ortega earlier this year and had to rebuild. His win over Swanson is a good start but he can't take his foot off the gas now. Zombie is coming off a win but has been out for long and a win over Edgar gets him on a win streak and back to contender status. A loss to either one is a setback which neither can afford as Edgar is getting older and while Zombie is much younger, he was out due to military service in South Korea and injuries. It will also be interesting to see how Zombie will be giving he's only fought once since 2013 and that was 21 months ago. How will that affect him especially against an elite level fighter such as Edgar?
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ray Borg (UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Korean Zombie, 11/10/18)- Benavidez is coming off a loss to Sergio Pettis by split decision at UFC 225 on June 9th. Borg is coming off a loss to Demetrious Johnson by submission at UFC 216 on October 7, 2017. This fight is big for both in many ways. With both coming off a loss, a win gets them back on track and a win is big for both men. With Demetrious Johnson having fallen off the throne, this opens both men's chances of another title shot after each having come up short to Johnson. With a new champion in Henry Cejudo, it's a new day for flyweights and a win could put the winner in a good position to challenge Cejudo or be put in a title eliminator. A loss hurts both as it would mark the first losing streak of either one. For Benavidez, this can be a make or break as he's has the mileage and has competed in over 30 MMA fights. Not to mention, he is 32 which isn't old but flyweights age quicker than most. A loss could show that Benavidez's time as an elite fighter is over and he truly is on the downside of his career. Benavidez also missed all of 2017 and early 2018 due to a knee injury which isn't good. A win could get Benavidez his first title shot in 5 years and possibly could lead to the title at long last. Borg doesn't have as much to lose but no one wants to go on a losing streak and his career is like Benavidez's as it has a new lease on life with a new champion. A win could also be considered the biggest in Borg's career to date. Even if Benavidez is slowing down, it still big for a flyweight to have a win over him.
Raquel Pennington vs. Germaine de Randamie (UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Korean Zombie, 11/10/18)- Pennington is coming off a loss to Amanda Nunes by TKO at UFC 224 on May 12th. de Randamie is coming off a win over Holly Holm by unanimous decision at UFC 208 on February 11th, 2017. This fight has two women in need of a win but for different reasons. Pennington is coming off a failed title shot so she is hoping to rebuild and hopefully earn another opportunity at a title shot down the line while a loss puts her further away from the title. de Randamie hasn't been seen since becoming the inaugural women's bantamweight champion but didn't make a good impression as she was accused of using dirty tactics like cheap shots after the horn and then forfeiting the championship instead of being a lamb led to slaughter against Cris Cyborg. With that plus the long lay off, de Randamie has to give a great performance to make up for the last year and a half. Also, with the controversy and long lay off, there is a chance that a bad loss could send her packing as the UFC may not think she's worth it. A great win could set de Randamie up for Amanda Nunes after her fight with Cyborg which could be huge because should Nunes fall to Cyborg then that would set up de Randamie to get a chance to become the first woman in UFC history to win a belt in two weight class.
Francis Ngannou vs. Curtis Blaydes (UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Ngannou 2, 11/25/18)- This is a rematch from UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. dos Santos back on April 10, 2016. Ngannou is riding a two fight losing streak with his recent loss being to Derrick Lewis by unanimous decision at UFC 226 on July 6th. Blaydes is unbeaten in six fights (five wins, one no contest) with his recent win being over Alistair Overeem by TKO at UFC 225 on June 9th. Remember the days when Ngannou looked like the next heavyweight sensation and heavyweight champion? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't since it feels like a lifetime ago. Ngannou's 2018 is an example of how much can happen in a year. He entered the year as a UFC Heavyweight Championship contender and the apple of Dana White's eye. Now, he's coming off two lackluster performances with his recent fight against Lewis being a worst fight of the year candidate and now can do no right with White. Ngannou either needs a strong win or give the performance of his career before falling in defeat because if he turns out another bad performance and loses, it'll all but guarantee him a pink slip. Blaydes is in a different position as he's been looking great but always seems to get be getting overlooked for title shots. While he'll likely get passed over again should he win since UFC is trying to get Lesnar a title shot, Blaydes can put himself in a position to challenge by mid 2019 with a win here. A loss would hurt with Blaydes being so close to a title shot. He can't afford to slip now when he's possibly on the verge of a title shot and the winner of Lesnar vs. the winner of Cormier/Lewis. There's also the fact that Blaydes has lost before to Ngannou which saw him stumble out of the gate in his UFC debut so I'm sure he'd love to avenge the only blemish on his record to date.
Patricio Freire vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (Bellator 209, 11/15/18)- For the Bellator Featherweight Championship. Freire is riding a two fight win streak with his recent win being over Daniel Weichel by split decision at Bellator 203 on July 14th. Sanchez is currently riding a four fight win streak with his recent win being on Sam Sicilia by submission at Bellator 198 on April 28th. These two together should be a fun fight as you can count on them usually to bring the excitement. This will also be a fresh title defense for Patricio as he will not defend against Pat Curran, Daniel Straus, or Daniel Weichel. In fact, since his first title shot nearly six years ago which helped kick off the Viacom era of Bellator, this fight marks the first time Patricio has not faced either of those three in a title match. Patricio has said he wanted a fresh competitor and now he's getting one. As for Sanchez, he's been on the rise and on fire with his recent string of wins over inaugural WSOF Featherweight Champion Georgi Karakhanyan, former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Marcos Galvao, & former Bellator Featherweight Champion Daniel Straus. Speaking of Straus, Sanchez vanquished one of Bellator's dominant featherweights. The question is can he make Patricio his second? Will history also be made? Like I wrote with Weichel, a Sanchez win would mark the first time since March 9, 2012 in which the Bellator Featherweight Champion was not either Pat Curran, Daniel Straus, or Patricio.
Phil Davis vs. Vadim Nemkov (Bellator 209, 11/15/18)- Davis is riding a two fight win streak with his recent win being over Linton Vassell by KO at Bellator 200 on May 25th. Nemkov is riding a four fight win streak with his recent win being over Liam McGeary by TKO at Bellator 194 on February 16th. This is a fight between two streaking light heavyweights with one looking to return to the throne he once occupied while the other hopes to sit on that same exact throne for the first time in his career. With the heavyweight grand prix finally winding down, Ryan Bader will likely return to the light heavyweight division after his fight with Fedor Emelianenko win, lose, or draw. The winner of this fight will all but likely be the one to give him a nice homecoming by and challenge for his light heavyweight championship. Davis has two close controversial losses to Bader and no doubt would like to not only avenge them but decisively which could prove he is the better fighter. Nemkov has been one of Bellator's brightest prospects and much needed new blood in the light heavyweight division. A win would be the biggest in his career to date and get him a title shot. If Nemkov faces Bader, it'll either see him hoping to follow in his mentor Fedor Emelianenko's footsteps and defeat Bader in a title fight or avenge Fedor by defeating Bader.
Jing Nan Xiong vs. Angela Lee (ONE Championship: Heart of a Lion, 11/9/18)- For the ONE Women's Strawweight Championship. Xiong is riding an eight fight win streak with her recent win being over Samara Santos by KO at ONE Championship: Beyond the Horizon on September 8th. Lee is undefeated at nine wins with her recent win being over Mei Yamaguchi by unanimous decision at ONE Championship: Unstoppable Dreams on May 18th. Nunes/Cyborg isn't the only upcoming women's superfight as ONE will see their two female champions battling it out. Undefeated and having dominated the women's atomweight division, Lee will now move up and become one of, if not, the first female fighter in a major MMA organization to hold two belts simultaneously. This has a lot going for it as something will give as either Lee makes history winning another belt while snapping Xiong's eight fight win streak or Xiong become the first to hand Lee the first loss of her career. Even though only Xiong's title is on the line, she still gains something as Lee has become ONE's biggest female fighter and somewhat of a poster girl. A win makes Xiong ONE's top female fighter and one of the faces of the promotion if she isn't already. This is also one of the those fights that also should be fun as both will give it their all.
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Kevin Belingon (ONE Championship: Heart of a Lion, 11/9/18)- For the ONE Bantamweight Championship. This is a rematch from ONE Championship: Dynasty of Champions on January 23, 2016. Fernandes is riding a fifteen fight win streak with his recent win being over Martin Nguyen by split decision at ONE Championship: Iron Will on March 24th. Belingon is riding a six fight win streak with his recent win being over Martin Nguyen by unanimous decision at ONE Championship: Reign of Kings on July 27th. With Belingon having defeated Nguyen for the interim championship, this will decide the undisputed champion. Belingon has a lot going into this as he's always been one of ONE's prospects with a ton of potential and now he has the chance to become the undisputed champion and prove he's been worthy of the hype. Belingon also has a loss to Fernandes so he probably would also love to avenge that. Fernandes has been ONE's bantamweight kingpin for most of their history but going on 38 years old and having barely gotten by in some recent fights with two of his recent three fights been split decisions, father time may finally be catching up on Fernandes. Could Fernandes be slowing down? Meanwhile, Belingon seems to be getting better since that recent loss. While MMAth doesn't work most of the time, compare them when they fought the same person. Fernandes needed two and half rounds to put away Toni Tauru in 2015 while Belingon only needed two and a half minutes to put Tauru away in 2017. Fernandes only beat Reece McLaren & Martin Nguyen by split decision while Belingon needed a little over a minute to knock out McLaren and beat Nguyen by unanimous decision. Again, MMAth isn't the best way to predict but the comparisons are interesting. Does Belingon FINALLY win the big one or does Fernandes put him away again?
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